LUO:: setting children free from poverty

Website Hacked

2010-05-05T22:51:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! I am so sorry for the inconvenience, but our site is down because someone hacked into it and gave it a virus! We are working through the problems and hope to have it fixed very soon!

We have 3 great new t-shirts and we will be updating our canvases shortly, so please check back :)

Party Animal, Animal Party

2009-10-03T10:23:00.003-04:00

Gavin and I spent last weekend in Austin, Texas...we totally fell in love with the city! Great Tex-Mex, amazing mom n' pop restaurants, funky and eclectic shops, a beautiful river walk and great mountain hikes...but best of all, we got to spend the weekend with some dear friends! We had a blast with Rebecca Gregory, Kate Millea and Jess Mulvaney (all three of them went on trips to Ithemba this sumer). They have been working HARD over the past two months crocheting stuffed animals for each and every child at Ithemba. While we were in Austin, Becca and Kate threw a "Party Animal, Animal Party" at a local restaurant to sponsor the animals! For $40 you can purchase a stuffed animal that will be given to a child at Ithemba for Christmas...we are SO excited to be able to give these animals to the kids and watch their smiles grow. They were each hand made with love, care and a lot of hard work!

If you would like to host a Party Animal Part, e-mail me at lindsay@luo-setfree.org. The animals are for sale for $40 on our website. www.luo-setfree.org We leave for J'Bay tonight with a group from the Orange Conference...don't forget to follow us on twitter for up to the minute updates on the children and our current project! www.twitter.com/luosetfree

::Safe House::

2009-08-12T15:55:00.006-04:00

Here are a few new pictures of the safe house...the landscaping is not quite complete and we are still adding new furniture and things but we are SO excited about the progress so far and so thankful for all of your generous support! We will start moving children in soon and I know they are going to LOVE their new home!!

LOVE, in action.

2009-08-07T15:30:00.006-04:00

Prayer.

Becca and Sive.

Themba.

Sussa.

Family.

Seana and his sisters.

Lisakazi...and the "Animal Party"

Beautiful ladies.

Mary, Joan and Queen.

Sibling love...

Becca and Matt

Painting.

Reflections: Becca Gregory

2009-08-04T09:48:00.001-04:00

Grateful Hearts...

Wow...

I can't believe we left Jeffreys Bay a week ago today. I still keep looking back through our pictures and reliving the moments...wondering where the kids are...how they are doing and praying their future will be different because of the work Ithemba is doing.

I think a few of us are planning to go back...maybe in February...wanna come?

Honestly, we've come home with a few projects we've decided to adopt - so I plan to keep the blog going to help those interested stay updated on what we're up to.

Here are few needs we'd like to conquer:

- $3500 for furniture (beds, linens, tables, chairs, etc) so that we can move 16 kids into the Safe House.

- Crocheting hands...the Party Animal Animal Party was a huge hit with the kids...so much so that we need to make 40 more to make sure every kid in the morning sessions get to have one...so if you can make 'em...let us know. If you'd like to send an animal to Africa - $50 does the trick:)

- Auction items for a fundraiser to be held in Atlanta in October.

Let me know if you want more details on how you can help!

XoXo,
Becca, Rich & Matt

Reflections from J'Bay by Jess Mulvaney...

2009-07-26T09:02:00.000-04:00

Yesterday it was raining. It rained all Wednesday night. When it rains in the township, read- shanty town, everyone and everything gets wet and muddy. Most of the shanties have dirt floors. The water just runs on in. Even those who live in government houses, 12 x 10 feet, one room, cinder-block homes, have water running in under the door. The kids will not want to walk in the rain, or they won’t have dry clothes to wear. There is a lot of pride in the Xhosa culture. So they won’t come to Ithemba. There were only five kids there in the morning when we got there. We spent the morning with them, and painting the scratched-up tables in their classrooms.

In the afternoon we put together pencil boxes full of school supplies for the preschool children. Over dinner Rich asked Gavin what his dream for Luo would be over the next five years. I wish you all could have heard him answer off the cuff and from the heart.

He spoke of their desire to go deep instead of wide with their ministry. He talked about seeing Jeffery’s Bay be a leading example in South Africa; breaking racial barriers between the white and the black and colored communities. He said he would like to see the township women have self-worth, see the township men change their bad attitudes and embrace real male -leadership. He would like to see these precious kids grow up with real dreams and hopes, with the belief that they can be something more then every ancestor that has come before them. That they would all would know Jesus. He said “Will that happen in five years? Maybe not. But I believe by praying for things that only God can do, is the way your faith to continues to grow.”

Not a bad dream to chase.

Least of These...

2009-07-25T11:31:00.001-04:00

taken from Becca's blog

Friends,

Our time at Ithemba is coming to a close - but as a group we have decided this is not "goodbye"...instead it's a "til next time."

Our time here has been truly life-changing. I don't think any of us will walk into a Target, or grocery or department store, or even our own home with the same eyes we came with...there has definitely been an internal shift - a change of mindset. I hope that when we find ourselves wrestling with contentment, we now have a name and a face of someone we've met that is currently living with so much less and has a joy and peace that is contagious.

We started the day as we have many others - playing with kids - just lovin' on them, playing beauty parlor, pool, kicking the ball, throwing football, hula hoops, etc...but something was definitely special about today knowing it would be our last...bittersweet. I spent most of my time playing with Asum, Mary & Lisacahze - they are some of the ones that have captured my heart. Unfortunately, it was too wet to do our fun day/field day - so we left the toys w/ the teachers to do when it warms up. After we put the kids down for nap time, we headed over to SuperTubes to watch the waves roll in and pick up some lunch.

After lunch, we headed back over to Ithemba to play games and say our goodbyes. A couple of the boys, Simphiwe and his cousin, gave us a tour of the township where they live. (The city is divided into three - the whites, the coloreds, and the blacks.) They live in the black community which is the poorest of the three. I can't begin to put into words what we saw. As we walked, we handed out sandwiches we had made to the kids we met and I prayed alot as we walked the area. I know our God is good and He is Sovereign, but sights like today still wreck my heart with questions of mercy and justice. I think the hardest part was knowing that Precious, an orphaned HIV positive kid that goes to Ithemba, was running into one of the shanties we walked by. I just wanted to scream out her name, scoop her up, and take her home. (I will post a pic of her later that will melt your heart.) Leaving her behind was hard.

Another moment that will be forever etched in my mind was Matthew walking up to this cute little boy, laying on his belly with his head propped up on a picnic table bench just staring at us as we walked by - and as soon as he saw Matt's hand out with a sandwich just for him, he's eyes and body perked up and he jumped down and took it and then smiled at Matt and gave him a high five...and then took a big bite. As his sister, it was a very proud moment. The smile on Matt's face was just as precious as the kids...so rewarding to have witnessed it...for that I am grateful.

My Richie Rich moment of the day was watching him with as many kids as could fit in his lap watching cartoons off in the corner with some of the afternoon kids. He was just giggling along with 'em - very cute.

I am not quite sure what to do with all we have seen and heard today. I take comfort in the fact that safe house is almost done and some of the children will have a place to go to and perhaps have a chance at a life of possibilities and choices.

For now, I am just pondering what these verses and hoping God will continue to show us where and how to stand in the gap and do for those who can't do it for themselves.

Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

With grateful hearts,

Becca, Matt & Rich

More from Becca, Matt and Rich

2009-07-24T13:20:00.000-04:00

Rainbows...

Hi friends,

Today we are wrapping up another awesome day at Ithemba-one that ended with a beautiful rainbow (we saw a few today) that started in the bay and ended in the township we have been serving in. For me, it was comforting to have God show up in that way-a reminder that He is a Covenant God and He will keep His promises. One day He will wipe every tear we've seen and rejoice in every smile we've encountered. Until that day comes, we count it a blessing to be alongside these children, at this point in time, as our stories are interwoven by a masterful storyteller who knows how it will end.

For me today was a hard day-i am coming down with the flu (a lot of the children have runny noses and a few you can tell are sick)...other teammates are also feeling a little run down-so please keep our health in your thoughts and prayers. On a brighter note, the pharmacy here is great and they were able to give us some good meds and we stayed in tonight and rested.

Aside from the health issues, we still pressed in and had a GREAT day at Ithemba. We awoke earlier this morning than previous days so that we could arrive at Ithemba to feed the kids breakfast which was a treat. When they broke for classroom time, we headed to the mall to buy them some special treats. We decided to do a fun-day/field day for the kids Friday and needed supplies to prepare. As we mentioned yesterday, we've observed some basic needs we have felt the Lord lead us to meet...so we bought "back to school" pencil boxes and filled them with the basics for each child-pencils, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, rulers with stencils, stickers, etc. We can't wait to assemble the gifts and give them to the kids!!!

We also noticed a need for underwear-some kids have accidents and nothing to change in to-so we bought up a nice reserve for the teachers to have on hand. It is so humbling to see the basic needs we take for granted to sometimes go unmet-so we are all so happy to help.

After our trip to the mall we grabbed some lunch and headed back to Ithemba to power wash the fence (Yeah Matt and Ben-it was a HUGE job to do in the cold semi-wet day we had today.) We hope to paint it on Thursday or Friday if the weather cooperates.

While the men were on fence duty, the girls played with the kids and helped finish the canvases that will be for sale.

After wrapping up our day, Lindsay,Katie,Jess and I drove through the township to drop off one of the kids -Timba-at home. Picture dirt roads with wood or metal leaned together (like what you saw in the movie Slumdog Millionaire) and in the "nicer" area 10X20 feet concrete boxes with dirt floors.

As I am hunkering down in my four blankets on this wet, cold & windy night, I can't help but let my mind wander to the kids on that dirt road I drove down just five hours ago-wondering how they will survive the windy, wet, cold night on a dirt floor without the luxury of heat or an extra blanket to keep them warm. Please pray for them.

Ephesians 3:19-21.

In His Grip,
Becca, Matt & Rich

Potato Chip, Potato Chip, Crunchy Crunchy...

2009-07-22T15:56:00.000-04:00

I love Jesus a bunchy, bunchy. YES - that chant will get stuck in your head. It's what we're all saying as I type this blog...made ya read it tho...didn't it?

As a recap, today has been another amazing adventure...from the guys adventure of sunrise surfing (ask Rich about his stitches) to singing w/ the kids, painting canvases, & meeting some new friends...it's been another incredible day here in Jeffreys Bay.

We started this morning with another devotional Oswald Chambers...what it looks like to walk in His presence day by day, minute by minute. The message quite timely as we look to serve the kids moment by moment. We arrived this morning at Ithemba to the kids sitting at their desks working on their letters and taking their vitamins. We then broke for playtime where you could hear songs of "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes...Father Abraham...If You're Happy and you Know it Clap your Hands"...that quickly transitioned into games like Simon Says & Red Light, Green Light.

Favorite Moments today:

1. Watching Rich do basketball tricks with boys

2. Watching Matt get the kids ready for nap time (see pic)...it's CRAZY - to hear the room go from

a loud roar to a silent whisper in less than a minute

3. The girls put on a show for us that is a traditional African dance to drums...pics to come

4. The most impactful thing we have been chewing on today is how the kids share so easily with one another considering they have NOTHING...especially when it comes to meals outside of Ithemba. Today, during snack time - popsicles were the treat - and it's so fun to watch the kids run around sharing with them not only with their friends at Ithemba, but also with us. It's crazy. How come we have so much trouble SHARING back home when we have so much? And these kids who don't know where their next meal is coming from (outside Ithemba) and they will not only share with their friends, but also the bum on the street peeking his head in. It's truly amazing.

During lunch, we took some time to continue our debrief from thoughts shared yesterday. We were able to identify a few needs we're going to try to meet while we're here: underwear, socks/shoes, pencils, crayons, paper, soccer & basketballs. We also did some brainstorming for LUO fundraising efforts once we're back in the states - if you want to help out...ask us!

After lunch, we started working on the canvases...so FUN!!! (We paint canvases with the kids and then take them back to the states and sell them - for a purchase of $250 you can buy a canvas and sponsor a child for a year - if you're interested in checking them out - they are AWESOME -email info@luo-setfree.org)

Tonight we had a team dinner at a cool pizza joint called 3 Fat Fish....my favorite was the fig, gorgonzola and bacon...we're saying good bye to 4 team members so it was a great send off. Then we came home and hosted some guests from the church for milk tarts and tea before heading off to bed.

I have to say we're all running low on energy tonight - and could really use your prayers for good rest, renewed strength, and continued connections with the kids tomorrow.

Walking in His presence,

Becca, Matt & Rich (our adopted brother)

Becca, Matt and Rich's blog updates:

2009-07-20T15:27:00.000-04:00

Ithemba...

Wow! I don't think we have words yet for our first day at Ithemba...we are all still processing. So I will try to just highlight some special moments...

First, we started the day with a devo from Utmost for His Highest-actually-we did two. One was focussed on serving, not out of show, but out of obedience...and the second was on seeing God in the process...and trusting Him in the purpose for what ever process we are experiencing-each of us unique. Both were very timely for what we experienced today.

Here are a few of my favorite moments:

1. Arriving at Ithemba and going into the classroom and watching the kids light up and cheer...and then singing "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" spontaneously with my new friends. (Matt was in a separate classroom-but when we came out he said-he knew where I was as soon as the singing started:)

2. Watching Matthew play with the kids-he was their ultimate toy-and they climbed and hung on him all day...it was awesome to watch. For those of you that play kickball with him-watch out-he's got a new team:). See facebook for pics.

3. Seeing Rich get a mohawk and Katie get new braids. The kids here are fascinated with our hair so they play
"Beauty Shop" all day long.

4. Touring the safe house-its almost finished. Just internal touches left-we hope to have kids in it in the next month-yeah!!!

With these cheerful thoughts, we are also struggling with the harder ones-like why do the kids and their families have to live like this? How can a good God allow such poverty and misfortune to coexist in such a beautiful place? And why isn't the community here caring better for their own people?

Matthew shed some perspective this morning when he woke up-it was freezing in the room he slept in...but he quickly said, "If I am cold in a house like this-think of those people sleeping in shantys with no heat, food, or blankets. I have no need to complain-I have more than I need."

I wonder how many of us have more than we need and if so, how can we leverage that "more" for the good of those who don't?

So that's a little picture into our time so far and some of the things we're wrestling with. I know God is Sovereign and there is a plan at work...I am just asking him to show me my part in the process.

With much love and gratitude,
Becca

PS-I am updating from my blackberry-so please forgive typos. Also, for pictures, please visit my facebook page:)

Home again!

2009-06-25T09:42:00.002-04:00

We just got back to J'Bay!! We are with Allie and Lindsey and being filled in on all of their adventures thus far. Next week a group from reThink will be arriving and we can't wait to have them here! It is going to be a busy summer, so keep checking back for updates, photos and new video of the safe house...it looks AMAZING!

Intern Update!

2009-06-18T10:03:00.001-04:00

Just got another note from our girls in J'Bay! Here is what they have to say about their time so far :)

Hello from Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. We have officially been here for three weeks and our lives have settled into something that neither of us expected but we love. The people have been so welcoming and friendly and we are learning more and more about their culture each and every day. Some cool things we have learned are that rhinos are afraid of fire, elephants get drunk from eating a fruit called amarula, it is important to greet the elders in the room first in the Xhosa culture, and it is always important to have lots of tea and coffee on hand for spur of the moment entertaining.

We were blessed to attend the Xhosa worship service at Ithemba this past Sunday. The authentic worship in that place was enough to bring us to tears. There was a lot of dancing, clapping, and praising the Father. We felt His presence among us and it was an amazing time to celebrate the love of the most high God. We were asked to stand in front of the congregation and introduce ourselves and then they formed a receiving line so that each member could greet us with a hug or a handshake.

Things at Ithemba have settled into a very pleasant routine and we are enjoying assisting the teachers with their classes as well as playing with the kids and showing them love. We are so excited about the new principal, Estee, and what she will be able to contribute to the way the school is currently running. Just today, we made a plan for the curriculum and for an assessment of each child. We feel that the assessment is crucial so that they can be placed into classes with other children that are on the same level academically. We have worked together to plan a structure that we think will benefit the kids and their educational experience at Ithemba.

The safe house looks wonderful! The roof is almost finished and they are already working on the electrical work and the plumbing. It still needs to be painted and such but we are so impressed with the work that is already done. I know that this house is going to bless the lives of so many children as they are able to find shelter, safety, and love. It stands as a silent reminder both of the desperation of many of these precious lives and also the hope that they can have for a brighter future.

We are looking forward to the joys and challenges that each new day will bring and we are so excited to have the other teams join us. Our driving is getting much better and we are not reduced to tears or panic each time we get behind the wheel. We are trying new foods and experiencing new things all the time and we send our love from J-Bay!!

Raise the Roof!!

2009-06-16T09:35:00.003-04:00

Exciting news...the safe house in Jeffrey's Bay now has a roof!! Thanks again for making this possible, y'all are awesome :) Just wanted to share a few more pictures...a video tour is soon to come!

a light in their eyes...

2009-06-09T10:29:00.003-04:00

Being in Nicaragua again was really great...difficult emotionally, but great! On this trip we were able to bring a group from the Journey Church in Murray, KY. It was so awesome to get to introduce them to the children that they have impacted in such a big way. It was even more amazing to see the kids impact them. I think that some of the kids left a mark on our hearts that will never go away!

Every time that we leave the country and get to hang out with the kids in Nicaragua and in South Africa, I am completely overwhelmed by the light and the hope and the joy in each of their eyes. These children have been exposed to things that most of us can not even begin to wrap our minds around. Things that no one should EVER have to experience...and definitely not at 3 years old. These children are amazing, they are the future and the hope of their countries, they have the potential to change the world. All they need is love and encouragement...they need to know that their pain and their suffering is temporary and that if they live for something bigger than themselves, they can leave their print on their communities! I see the light in their eyes, and I see a hope for their futures, a hope that can only be found in Jesus!

News from J'Bay

2009-06-04T17:00:00.002-04:00

Allie and Lindsey have been in J'Bay for just over a week and we are so excited to have them there! Below is an e-mail I received from Lindsey about their adventures so far! I will be posting pictures of their trip soon...as well as updates from Nicaragua!

Molweni everyone! (Hello in Xhosa)

It has now been one full week since I arrived in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. I have had a wonderful, busy, exciting, crazy, and challenging week so far. I am working at Ithemba (the children’s day center) full time now from 8:00 AM- 4:00 PM and I love it! Working with the kiddos is both rewarding and challenging. By the time I get home at night I am completely exhausted because they keep us on our toes. In the mornings I help the teachers (4 Xhosa women) make the kids their breakfast. Then we have play time for about an hour. This usually consists of piggy back rides, getting my hair braided and tied in knots, tickling and chasing, and lots of hugs and kisses. The mornings usually have around 55- 60 kids ages 5 and under. I am quickly picking up Xhosa phrases to ask them how they are, what their names are, to tell them my name, and of course the useful kid phrases like “listen”, “don’t do that”, and “sit down please.”

I am teaching in one of the classrooms which is fun and yet very difficult because they are too young to speak English so I have to have everything translated. I am working with Mama Queen. She is a Xhosa grandmother. We work on the alphabet, shapes, numbers, days of the week, etc. There is a lot of work to be done to make the classroom setting run a little more smoothly, but we will get there! In the afternoons, we play some more and then about 100 more kids come after they get out of school- they are from ages 5- 16. I am working with the older kids in the afternoon on math, English, and writing. Yesterday, we did long division- it has been a LONG time since I have done long division but it went well!

My favorite part so far is just getting to know the people here. Both the Xhosa people and the Afrikaans people are so kind and helpful. They do not hesitate to help us (myself and Allie- the other girl I am here with) when we don’t understand something and they are very patient about teaching us their languages as well. We are learning pretty quickly and I am getting quite excited about that. Building relationships with not only kids but adults as well is very important to me!

The scariest part for sure has been the driving. Most of you know that I do not know how to drive a manual car so I had some lessons when I got here. My friend Marco was very brave and patient and he took us out for 3 lessons here before he let us hit the road on our own. Not only are we learning to drive a stick, but we are driving on the other side of the road and they have a lot of these roundabout things that are kind of tricky to figure out. We have had quite a few scary moments and stalls but so far the car is still running and we haven’t hit anyone else so I consider this a job well done- or maybe just done haha! We are getting better every day so I am trying to be positive even though I have to fight down panic each time I get in the car. Please be praying for safety both for myself and for the unsuspecting people of J-Bay!!

Finally, I want to share some of the cultural things that I find interesting so far: the eggs are not refrigerated so you by them on the shelf, milk comes in a box on the shelf, they call stop lights “robots”, they call stop signs “stop streets”, they say “see you just now” instead of see you later, soda is called “fizzy” or “cool drink”, and there are many more but I am slowly picking up on these things!

Anyways, I realize this is kind of long- but I hope that this finds you well and enjoying the summer! It is pretty cold here and I must admit I am a little envious of the weather at home. It is pretty though, and we are right on the Indian Ocean so we are definitely enjoying this place!

Please be praying for energy to keep up with the kids, for continued good health, for SAFETY while driving, and just that we will be used to accomplish the Lord’s purpose here! He is in control and He knows each and every one of these people by name. He speaks their language, even when I do not, and He has a deep and unending love for every nation, tribe, and tongue.

I will hopefully send out another update next week, please feel free to respond with questions or comments- I am obviously leaving a lot out because this thing would be SUPER long if I tried- but I am happy to answer any questions you may have. I get to the internet every couple of days!!

Lekker Dag (Have a nice day in Afrikaans),

Lindsey

Shovels and Dirt...and a new SAFE HOUSE!!

2009-05-08T17:16:00.002-04:00

UPDATE:: The Safe House in Jeffrey's Bay is officially underway! We have broken ground and the foundation should be in place next week! Pray for lots of good weather over the next few months....these kids are going to have a safe and warm place to live because of all of the love and support that you have all given them! Thank you for literally being the hands and feet of Jesus for these children :)

All About Orange

2009-05-04T13:17:00.002-04:00

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT PURCHASED A CANVAS AT ORANGE, YOU REALLY ARE CHANGING THESE CHILDREN'S LIVES!!

God is doing really amazing things through the wonderful people that attended the Orange Conference last week in Atlanta! Because of the people at Orange we are able to build a safe house for the children in Jeffrey's Bay!! Last week we sold 178 of the 200 canvases that were painted by the children at Ithemba...the canvases are being sold for $250 and 100% of the money is going straight to build the safe house. Because of the generosity of the Orange Community, we are able to begin building TODAY! I will be updating the blog with pictures of the progress on the house so keep checking back :)

Easter in Nicaragua!

2009-04-27T09:04:00.003-04:00

I just got these pictures of the kids from Casa Roble in Nicaragua! They did an Easter Egg Hunt and had a blast!

Lindsey and Allie

2009-04-06T13:42:00.003-04:00

We are so excited to have two wonderful girls living in J'Bay this summer and helping Ria and Ithemba! These two girls have huge hearts for the children at Ithemba and our mission to provide for them and improve their quality of life. While there, they will be focusing on improving the Biblical and educational curriculum that we already have in place at the day center. Allie goes to the University of West Georgia and is majoring in Early Childhood Education. She will be working directly with the teachers at Ithemba and training them on new and innovative ways to teach the children. Lindsey goes to Murray State University and is majoring in Management and minoring in Non-Profit Leadership, she will be working with Ria to perfect the organizational side of running and managing everything at Ithemba. Both Lindsey and Allie will be working with the 252 Curriculum and helping perfect the programs. We are so excited to have them in J'Bay for three months living with the people and getting to know the children. They are both currently raising support for their trips...if you would like to help support them, you can send a check to:

LUO, Inc

390 17th St

#3060

Atlanta, GA 30363

Be sure to write their names in the subject line! We would also love for you to commit to supporting them through prayer this summer. They will be starting a blog and sending updates throughout their trip.

News from Nicaragua!

2009-03-05T09:59:00.003-05:00

We just got some adorable new pictures of a few of the kids at Casa Havilah and Casa Roble in Nicaragua. This is their first day of pre school! I wanted to share them with you because they are so stinkin' cute.

Our friends in Nicaragua were excited to tell us that the kids are all doing great. Of course, they have had some struggles with transitioning the kids from La Chureca (the dump) into a real home and family setting but they are doing well and really changing into a family that loves each other!

State Side

2009-02-20T07:56:00.003-05:00

24 hours more of travel and we are back in Atlanta safe and sound. The trip was great, we are so glad to be home but also feel like we left home 8,000 miles away in J'Bay. We are already excited for our trip this summer and are anxious to start planning! Right now we are busy planning our next trip to Nicaragua as well. In May we will be taking the leadership from the church in Murray, Kentucky to meet the wonderful kids that they are supporting at Casa Havilah and Casa Roble. We are excited about what God has in store for LUO over the next few months, so I will keep you updated along the way. Thanks for all of your prayers while we were away, please continue to keep Ria, the children and the safe house in your prayers!

Meet Ria Pieters

2009-02-11T08:44:00.005-05:00

Well, it seems to be time that you all meet one of my favorite people...someone that Gavin and I look up to in just about every way. She is incredibly inspiring. The way that she lives her life is constantly challenging us to try to be more like Christ.

As many of you know, my Mema, Ruth Schnatmeier has influenced my relationship with Christ and influenced the way that I try to live in a huge way. She was my spiritual leader and my closest friend. She passed away in December and I felt like I was losing part of myself. I admire her more than I can put in to words. There aren't many people in this world who have managed to live as selflessly, as full of grace or as in love with Jesus as my grandma. But over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to get to know Ria, and through our friendship, I have begun to see so many of the same qualities and gifts that I saw in Mema in Ria and I am so thankful for her.

A few years ago, Ria experienced a major tragedy in her life, in the circumstances, some people would turn away from God and others would cling to Him...not only did Ria cling to Him, she started sprinting full steam after His very heart. In response to the tragedy, Ria decided to live her life for a greater purpose. She saw the need for a refuge for children in the township in Jeffrey's Bay and she decided to start praying and fighting to make it happen. In 2005 Ithemba was opened and since then, Ria's entire life has become dedicated to loving the children of Tokyo Sexwale and fighting to help them have a better life, free from poverty. While holding a full time job at the church and "foster parenting" two 4 year old twins, Ria still manages and maintains Ithemba. Since its start, Ithemba has grown into a day center that serves 200 children each day. Ria's life is truly a testimony. She is actively seeking justice in her very own community. So, today, I wanted to introduce you to her! Please be praying for her and her ministry here in J'Bay.

Covered in Paint!

2009-02-06T06:52:00.004-05:00

Last week, Chris, Michelle, Gavin and I started and completed the task of painting 200 canvases the the kids at Ithemba! It was so much fun and quite a mess! This time, we decided to forgo the splatter paint for a new design. We brought different sized wooden blocks and allowed the kids to really express their creativity! We gave them orange, white and turquoise paint and let them have at it. It was really great to see the kids personalities come out as they painted. Some children would carefully and meticulously place their squares in a thought out design while others took the chance to go a little crazy haphazardly sloshing the squares in paint and smashing them down on the the canvas...Needless to say, each canvas is unique and totally portrays the personality of the child that painted it!

After the painting, came the footprints...and individual "signature" of each child. This part is the most difficult but we think it is the most important part of the canvas! Above is a little girl named Sive signing her canvas, her very own work of art!

These canvases are special and very close to our hearts...these canvases are meant to raise money for a safe house to be built on the Ithemba's property. At first, Gavin and I were not really sure if a safe house was a necessity at Ithemba but after being here for two weeks, we are desperately certain that it is not only a necessity but it will save the lives of twelve children living in unspeakably horrific circumstances.

These canvases will once again cost $250.00 and when they are all sold, they will have provided a wonderful, warm and loving refuge for these desperate children. These children will be taken out of the constant abuse, molestation, starvation and emotional torture that they are currently living in. This house will provide them with two loving "parents," a warm bed to sleep in, running water, nutritious food, and very most importantly love and safety. Through this love, we feel certain that these children will clearly see the love of their heavenly father.

Much needed prayer.

2009-02-04T09:08:00.003-05:00

This week has FLOWN by...so much to tell you all but the internet cafe is closing right now. We are busy planning for the safe house this week. Two of the children at Ithemba have lost their parents this week and have no place to stay until this house is built...please be praying for them and for the community around Ithemba this week. There is a drought going on and wild fires have been breaking out all over the area. Their shacks are made of wood and cardboard and a fire in the community will be devastating. I will blog again soon to keep you all updated! Thanks for your prayers.

Reunited at last!

2009-01-27T05:32:00.003-05:00

We are back in Jeffrey's Bay again and it feels just like home! This time we were able to bring two of our close friends and supporters with us, Chris and Michelle Reis...check out their blog for more info and pictures of the trip...www.chrisandmichellereis.blogspot.com.

We have been in South Africa for one week and have been busy busy with all of the happenings at Ithemba. We seem to be busting at the seams with new children, the are absolutely precious, but we need more space! We walked into Ithemba today and the newly built classrooms were bustling with children. Kids in every desk and kids all over the floors trying to learn...we need more classrooms already, what an exciting blessing, and an exciting challenge :)

We are at Ithemba planning for the new safe house and painting new canvases to raise money to support it....and because of the overflow of children, we are looking in to the cost of expanding the main building of Ithemba as well. We are very excited and anxious to get started on the safe house, more children than ever need a refuge and place to stay. We are planning a three bedroom home equipped with everything the children will need for safety and happiness...even some loving house parents. The cost of the building and all of its furnishings will be about $70,000.00 and will provide refuge for 12 children. I will be posting more info soon about the canvases and ways that you can support this new project!

Sorry for the short and choppy post...we have been very busy but I will be sure to keep you updated in the next two weeks that we are here. We have gotten to see some great changes in the children and I look forward to sharing them with you soon! We would love your prayers while we are here!

LAST DAYS TO BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!

2008-12-22T08:58:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder...ONLY three more days of the buy one get one free sale!

**Buy any shirt and get a white LUO shirt free with your order!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

ONE for ONE

2008-12-19T10:01:00.003-05:00

Check out www.tomsshoes.com/LUO

For every pair of TOMS you purchase through THIS link, TOMS will donate $5 to LUO. If we sell 500 pairs of TOMS, we get 500 pairs to give to the children in Nicaragua and South Africa....what a FANTASTIC last minute gift idea :)

The Journey...to Murray, KY

2008-12-16T09:11:00.005-05:00

Last weekend, Gavin and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Murray, KY and get to know the amazing people at the Journey church.

In April of 2008, LUO had a booth at the Orange Conference...there, we sold canvases that were hand painted by the children at our partnership in Jeffrey's Bay. They cost $250 and provide nutrition, education, medical care and Biblical curriculum for a child for one year. Matt and Jennifer Johnson of Murray, KY purchased one of those canvases! Through a series of events that seriously only God could have worked out, Gavin and I ended up meeting the couple for coffee in Murray.

Matt is the lead Pastor at the Journey Church and we had the opportunity to hear him and his wife's hearts for their church and the community that it is a part of. The Journey meets on the campus of Murray State University and their congregation is mostly comprised of college students so when they told us that as a body of believers they wanted to raise the money to fully support our second partnership in Nicaragua for one year...we were dumbfounded!

All four of us realized that the task of raising $35,000.00 in a BAD economy at a church full of young families and college students seemed impossible but we all hit the ground running. Gavin and I headed to Nicaragua to make 150 new canvases to be sold at the church and Matt and Jennifer went back to the leadership at their church and told them about our new goal! Immediately, the leadership and everyone at the church was so excited! By the time Gavin and I arrived on December 6 to tell the congregation about our new partnership...we were floored and amazed by what God had already done through this small, faithful, and very BOLD community!

By the time got there, Murray State's entire college campus was working to help set these children free! The track team, the basketball team, all of the Greek organization...campus ministries...and all of the wonderful families at the church have gotten on board to get these canvases sold and these children supported! The church is working to sell 150 canvases at $200 to support all of the children at our Nicaraguan partnership for one year. It is REALLY amazing to be able to see the body of Christ in this community coming together to change a community thousands of miles away. We are SO thankful to be able to see Jesus work in the hearts of these people as he shows them how to love mercy, walk humbly and do justly!

Jeffrey's Bay

2008-12-02T11:04:00.005-05:00

I know it has taken me a while to write about our trip...it seems to take me a while to process everything that goes on...whenever we go back to South Africa. It is such a mix of emotions. Jeffrey's Bay is one of mine and Gavin's favorite places in the world, it feels like home. We are so blessed to have such a great community of friends and it is always so much fun to get to see them again. But, each and every time that we go back, the contrast of environment shocks me to the core. I know the circumstances, I know the city, I know the people but it still shocks me. To the left of the main road in J' Bay- the most beautiful homes you have ever seen. Perfect white beaches, the world best waves, amazing restaurants. To the right of that same road- desperation. poverty. incredible brokenness. There are tiny shacks as far as the eye can see, children being abused and neglected everywhere you turn. Children starving when there is a grocery store the size of any Kroger less than a mile away. Talk about injustice that is hard to understand. So, it is hard for me to put our trips in to words.

On this trip we were so blessed to be accompanied by 7 amazing girls. Jill, Amber, Jessica, Christy and Stephanie from Atlanta, Jess from Nashville, and Lisa from Kansas. Each girl came to South Africa with an amazing open heart and a great desire to help the children at Ithemba. Each day, we went to Ithemba and served and loved on the precious children. We painted and gave Ithemba a "makeover." We shared meals with the teachers and got to experience their culture through dance and art. The trip was really amazing...bellow I will include another journal entry from our time there: I think it better describes the raw emotion that I was feeling during the time.

This world is fallen. It is dark. It is hard. It seems so hopeless at times. Being here in

South Africa, working with the children at Ithemba really brings this forward. This week

I fell in love- head over heals in love with two little girls- twins named Sussa and Doeffie.

They are PRECIOUS, beautiful, innocent, yet their innocents is constantly being stolen.

These babies are four years old and they have spent their lives being raped by their step

brother and their own father. Looking in their precious eyes, you can see the reality

of Satan's work- you can see the depravity of man through the pain in their eyes. And

THIS is motivation- a CLEAR calling from God to FIGHT and help bring His Kingdom to

earth- an undeniable call to BE Jesus to these girls. That is what Ithemba is doing for them-

fighting their circumstances- fighting for their freedom- loving them like Jesus and putting

His joy back in to their lives.

Being here, experiencing this has made me realize just how BIG the love of God is and how

much HE LOVES US. Yes, the world is dark but He is the brightest light that you can

imagine. Yes, the world is fallen but He is redeemed us- He has offered us HOPE when all

seems hopeless. He is light and He is love. In the middle of the township, He breaks through

the darkness through giving people like Ria (the woman that started Ithemba) a vision to bring

a small piece of His love right to the middle of the hell that is the township. We as humans

have messed up so much yet He loves us enough to birth His dreams and His vision in people

and empower them with His love to accomplish His purposes because HE LOVES US SO MUCH!

La Chureca

2008-10-30T18:34:00.004-04:00

To say that we are excited about our second official partnership just doesn't seem to do it justice...but I can't really describe the emotions behind it all. It was an exciting journey that lead us to a wonderful new part

nership:

Gavin and I got married on September 6th (YAY!) and headed straight to our honeymoon in Costa Rica...We decided that since we were already in Central America, we should see where God leads us, and look for a second partnership orphanage...G

od VERY clearly lead us to Managua, Nicaragua...straight to the city dump, La Chureca and to an amazing organization with two children's rescue homes, one for boys, and one for girls. Below is my journal entry from the day that we left Managua:

Managua is unbelievable- the dump, "La Chureca" is home to nearly 2,000 people- living, eating and breathing in trash- girls being prostituted at the age of seven for first pick of the best trash. Babies crawling around, naked in piles of smelling, burning, rotting trash...and this is life...this is their reality...a reality that is so hard for me to comprehend. Being in Managua opened my eyes to see boys and girls as young as five, knee deep in garbage, holding a long sharp pole, rummaging through rotten food, used toilet paper, coffee grounds, glass, car parts hoping just to make $1.00 a day. $1.00 to please their parents and avoid a beating...although a beating is the least of the little girls worries. Each day they must wake up with the fear and the probable reality of being sold as prostitutes, by their own family members to the garbage truck drivers. The girls are raped and then their "sellers" are given prime dibs on the GARBAGE. Girls innocents sold and destroyed...for trash- and it happens multiple times a day- these girls NEED a refuge, these boys NEED a place of safety away from the beatings. That is the goal of Casa Havilah and Casa Roble. They are a positive influence, a place of solice, of hope, of love, of healing. An answer to the desperate silent cries heard all over the dump of Managua. A cry that we as LUO feel compelled to answer by supporting these houses of hope.

Casa Havilah and Casa Roble and run by a truly incredible missionary family from Talahasee, FL. Gavin and I have had the opportunity to spend time with them and get to know their hearts. The entire family has dedicated their lives to improving the lives of the children in Nicaragua and telling them about the love of Jesus...but this family dosen't have to tell them, the truly LIVE the love of our savior day in and day out, joyfully giving their all to these children.